Koraj
Koraj (kor-AZH) is a major city on the eastern coast of Arland. Settled at the mouth of the Black River where it connects to the Sea of Scales , the city is the trading hub between the Kels , the Marches and the Sekketi Empire to the south. The city is ruled by the trade guilds. In fact many people call Koraj "The City of Guilds". History Koraj was originally founded by explorers who followed the Black River to its mouth where it connects with the Sea of Scales. The explorers were eager to find lands to be settled by those escaping the 'curse' of the Great Silence. The name, Koraj, was a notation in the margin of a Gnomish Map of the area which means, roughly, 'wealth'. Strictly speaking the gnomish word means 'wealth of the land' as the original explorer was noting how fertile the soil was in the Plains of Koraj that surround the coastal areas. Without the blessing of the king, or Baron, or even a March Lord, the explorers claimed the land as their own and began constructing a port to accommodate trade cogs. Economics The economics of the city of Koraj are as they have always been: Trade. Originally it was trade in exotic plants in the form of alchemical materials and rare and exotic leathers harvested from the beasts found along the shores. Households House/Koraj Governance The city of Koraj is ruled not by a single ruler, no Baron, Lord or even a Duke. The city is run, collectively, by a council of Trade Princes ; each one representing a particular type of trade; Alchemy, Cloth, Metal, Slaving, etc. Each prince lives in a palace within the part of the city that is dominated by their trade or craft. The Town The city of Koraj is located at the conjunction of the Black River and the Sea of Scales filling up the northern coast from the mouth of the river to the steep, rocky hills which create a natural, northern border. A low-sloping hill rests towards the south-eastern corner of the town and is the site of the original fortress built by the early settlers. That hill was then later turned into the administrative hub of the city as it expanded. All roads, then, within the town lead to the central square and radiate out from it to the docks and the gates through the city walls. Since the town's founding, it has continued to expand. No sooner are the walls constructed to protect it does the population swell enough to spill out and around it. The first walls connected the four strongholds built by the original guilds of the city: Alchemy, Spicer, Blacksmith and Clothier. This created a rough square-shaped wall around the perimeter of the main hill. As the population increased and additional guilds were formed, they two created strongholds and walls were constructed to connect them which resulted in a square within a square. However, the outter square was turned fourty-five degrees to the original creating a rough diamond-shape. This design of the city, with strongholds connecting walls that wrap around the previous wall, was consistent throughout the development of the city resulting in three rings of walls. 'Notable Locations' 'Features' Feature/Koraj 'Temples' Temple/Koraj 'Taverns' Tavern/Koraj 'Estates' Estate/Koraj 'Organizations' Organization/Koraj 'Streets, Squares and Markets' 'Known Ships' Ship/Koraj 'Population' Character/Koraj 'Military' The city of Koraj does not have a standing army. Instead, each trade prince maintains a number of guards, soldiers and men under arms which, when combined, become an army. Characters Category:Settlement/Koraj Category:Settlement/Black River Category:Large City Category:Settlement/Black Marches Category:Trade/Alchemy Category:Trade/Herb Category:Trade/Leather